Do we really know what "Live" music sounds like?

@jim5559 

Some of the concerts I have been to in the past few years are Bryn Terfel, Simrit Kaur, Tool, Joe Bonamassa and Richard Thompson.

Does the fact that I listen to a wide variety of music, including rock, make me clueless or not?

@jssmith 

"Unamplified live music is affected by the room. This has just as much or more bearing on the sound then an "amplifier."

1. Typically, unamplified music is not performed in a "room". It is performed in a music venue acoustically tuned for live music and voice.
2. If the music in that venue is fed through an amplifier, it is most certainly degraded when compared to the unamplified version.
3. Music + room will always be superior to music+ amplifier + room.

Going to electrified concerts, like rock concerts, makes you better able to make judgements on equipment when playing recordings of live concerts, but not studio albums.

Sounds like from where - a foot from the source? 50 feet from the source? Back of the hall at an arena? Live music sounds really different depending on where you're listening from. So the answer is yes and no. 

Deep experience with anything allows you to make adjustments. If you are at live concerts that are being recorded. Look around. Where is it being recorded from. When ever I go to a concert I look and listen to the acoustics. I look for microphones, the concert control panels. 
 

So many rock and other electronic concerts are screwed up… bad venues, bad volume control. But going to them you can learn.